I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you (John 15:1-7).

Abiding is living in, settling down, dwelling in. It is not “coming in” and “going out.” The Wuest translates abiding as “a living communion.” Jesus is the vine. We are the branches. If you separate the branch from the vine, you break the union. You can lay the branch right next to the vine, but if it is not one with the vine, the life won’t flow into that branch to make it produce fruit.

Rufus Mosely said, “Fruit appears on branches. God has to have branches of the same texture as Himself, the same sap, the same mind, the same spirit, before He can bring forth in fullness what He wants to bring forth.” God has had to wait for a people who will be branches. James 5:7 says “…Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.”

The Amplified Bible says, “So be patient, brethren, [as you wait] till the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits expectantly for the precious harvest from the land. [See how] he keeps up his patient [vigil] over it until it receives the early and late rains.”

Many believers don’t bear fruit. They get born again, but do not abide in Him. There is no living communion—no life flow. Their spiritual lives wither and they become subject to the devil, subject to the enemy. Sickness and disease comes upon them. They do not live like spiritual men, but like natural men.

We are not to get born again and then stop. We are not born again just so God’s house will be full, even though that is important to Him. We are born again to be His special possession in the earth—a group of people who will do anything He tells them to do—who will be obedient. Then He will get His plan finished and the earth will be full of His glory.

Rufus Mosely also said, “All you have to do to keep union is to put Him first and keep your mind stayed on Him. In union and love, you will have everything else. Our only responsibility is the responsibility of the union. If we will give ourselves to the union, He will look after everything else.”

How are we to do this? By His Spirit. Jesus did not expect us to do that in our own power. He expected His Spirit to come and live in us and communicate His words to our spirits. The Spirit of God is in us to bring about that continual living communion with Jesus.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

That’s right. These are not just good ideas I’m giving you. They are principles from the Word of God that Gloria and I have lived by for more than 30 years now. They are principles that have literally changed our lives.

They’ll change your life, too. In fact, I believe any husband and wife who will live the life of love described in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 can have a wonderful life together. Even if they start off at zero with no love between them at all, they can end up with a successful marriage because love never fails!

“But, Kenneth, if love never fails, why do so many Christian marriages—marriages that were once based on the love of God—end up on the rocks?” you ask.

It happens because strife and envy are allowed to cut that love short. As a result, those Christian lives and marriages are drained of God’s power. They become carnal, and there is confusion and every evil work.

First Corinthians 3:3 puts it this way: “For as long as [there are] envying and jealousy…among you, are you not unspiritual and of the flesh, behaving yourselves…like mere (unchanged) men?” (AMP).

The moment we let envy and strife in the door, we begin to live like people out there in the world. We become like the natural, unsaved men in this scripture—fearful, powerless and defeated—instead of like supernatural, born-again, Spirit-filled people of God.

I agree with Paul. The hour is too late for us to live like that. The coming of Jesus is near at hand. And when He comes, we don’t want Him to find us spiritually sick and weak, living lives that have been poisoned by envy and strife.

We want Him to find us standing tall in the spirit—full of love, faith and power—walking in the victory Jesus bought for us.

We want Him to find us living in the light!

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

That’s important because in this dangerous day, we need God’s blessings more than ever. We need His power. We need to be walking in our full inheritance as believers because this age is about to be brought to a close. As the Apostle Paul says:

The night is far gone [and] the day is almost here. Let us then drop (fling away) the works and deeds of darkness and put on the [full] armor of light. Let us live and conduct ourselves honorably and becomingly as in the [open light of] day; not in reveling (carousing) and drunkenness, not in immorality and debauchery…not in quarreling and jealousy. But clothe yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah, and make no provision for [indulging] the flesh (Romans 13:12-14, AMP).

The hour is late! It’s time for us to wake up. It’s time we quit allowing the devil to darken our homes, our businesses, our churches and our individual lives with strife and envy. It’s time we quit letting him pull the plug on our faith power. It’s time we started living in the light.

You may be thinking, That’s easier said than done!

I know. But you can do it.

How? Learn to watch over yourself. Pay attention to your state of mind. When you find yourself depressed or downcast, don’t just ignore those feelings. Think back. Ask yourself, “What started this downturn?”

You may realize that a particular situation sparked feelings of aggravation, jealousy or strife within you. If so, look at that situation through the eyes of God and then talk to it (see Mark 11:23).

Say, “That situation has no power over me. I refuse to allow it to bring envy and strife into my life. I yield to the forces of love and joy within me. And, Lord, I praise You for Brother Smith’s new car. I thank You that Sister Jones has those nice clothes!”

Then just start praising the Lord. Sing a song. Put on a tape that will lift you up, and force yourself to sing along. Before long, the love of God will be bubbling up out of your heart again and you’ll be singing in genuine joy.

I know you will, because I’ve done it!

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Notice I said it made a move on you, not in you. That’s an important distinction.

You see, if you’re a born-again believer, envy is not a part of your spiritual nature. It’s something the devil tries to pressure you into receiving. He dangles it in front of you like bait on a hook, hoping you’ll take a bite.

Why? Because he wants to defeat you! He wants to keep you sick, broke, sad and perpetually trapped beneath your circumstances. And to do that, he must somehow stop you from living by faith.

Since he can’t very well just come barreling in the front door and steal the faith right out of your heart, he slips in the back way. He uses envy and strife to interrupt the flow of love in your life.

The minute love is disrupted, your faith stops working too, because faith works by love (Galatians 5:6).

Many Christians don’t understand that principle, so they struggle along, quarreling and fussing with one another—and all the while wonder why their faith isn’t producing results. They don’t realize that if you want to walk in the power and blessing of God, you cannot allow envy or strife into your life. Period.

James 3:16 shows us why that’s true. It says, “Where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.” In other words, envy and strife give the devil an open door into your life.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

2 Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised).

Hebrews 10:35-36
Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise.

Hebrews 11:11
Through faith also Sarah herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

James 5:14-16
Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

1 Peter 2:24
Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed.

1 John 3:21-22
Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God. And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in
his sight.

1 John 5:14-15
And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.

3 John 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.

Revelation 12:11
And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Ephesians 6:10-17
Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the http://kennethandgloriacopeland.net/wp-admin/themes.phpgospel of peace; above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

Philippians 2:13
[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight (The Amplified Bible).

Philippians 4:6-9
Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests) with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace [shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace] which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. For the rest, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is worthy of reverence and is honorable and
seemly, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely and lovable, whatever is kind and winsome and gracious, if there is any virtue and excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on and weigh and take account of these things [fix your minds on them]. Practice what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, and model your way of living on it, and the God of peace (of untroubled, undisturbed well-being) will be with you (The Amplified Bible).

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Then the story continues with, “Jesus…said unto him, One
thing thou lackest.” What he lacked was a working revelation of
the covenant. The young man only did as he was supposed to.
He presented himself as knowing the Word, and Jesus tested
his knowledge by saying, “Go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast,
and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and
come, take up the cross, and follow me.” What did the young man
do? He walked off sadly because he had great possessions. Jesus
could have stopped him right then and explained what He
meant, but if He had, the man would have obeyed in the natural
and not by faith. If he had asked Jesus to explain Himself,
He would have. Each time His disciples asked Him to explain a
parable, He did, but He never explained it in order to get them
to act on it. If the man had really known the covenant, he
would have thought, “What does the covenant say about giving to
the poor?” He would have remembered Proverbs 19:17 that
says, “He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the Lord; and
that which he hath given will he pay him again.” This was the
biggest financial deal that young man had ever been offered,
but he walked away from it because he didn’t know God’s system
of finance. He didn’t take the time to inquire; he just
assumed that God wanted to break him. Instead of being Word minded
that young man was money-minded.

When the rich young ruler walked away, Jesus said, “How
hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!”
Then an interesting thing happened. The next verse says, “And
the disciples were astonished at his words.” We have just taken
it for granted that Jesus and His disciples didn’t have anything.
But the Bible describes Peter, James and John as professional
fishermen. They owned more than one boat, and they had
household servants! When Jesus spoke those words, it shook
them. It was adverse to what they had seen. They were astonished
at His words! Jesus was not poor in His ministry. He had a
treasurer! Turn off your religious head and read the Word of
God as if it were your newspaper.

Another point I want you to grasp is the reality of Jesus’ words,
“Come, take up the cross, and follow me.” What does “the cross”
refer to? The “cross we are to bear” is selfish, unlovely people. The
greatest commandment is that we love one another. Unfortunately,
some people are not easy to love, but we are to love them anyway.
We are to bear one another’s burdens and uphold one another. We
must stop strife with the love of God. This is our cross. Do you
realize the significance of His words, “Come…follow me”? These
are the words Jesus spoke to every man He commissioned as an
apostle. When I saw this, the Lord said, “Wouldn’t this man have
been the logical replacement for Judas?” Judas failed because of
the love of money. He even stole from the bag! This young ruler
was an excellent businessman; he was honest and had operated
the covenant from his youth. He was perfect for the job, but he
turned his back on this tremendous opportunity to follow Jesus.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Before you begin meditation in the Word, you must commit
yourself to the absolute truth of John 10:10. “The thief cometh
not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they
might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
Whenever I read something that seems contradictory to this, I
immediately stop and straighten out my thinking. The truth is
hidden in some way, and I rely on the Holy Spirit to reveal it to
me. God is not our problem. He does not steal from us. He is
the giver of all good things! When you commit yourself to this
basic truth, you block Satan and deal a deadly blow to deception.
As long as you are open to it, Satan will prove that God
wants you to live in poverty and in sickness to teach you
humility. He will try to convince you that the rich young ruler
couldn’t receive eternal life because he had money, but Satan is
a liar and the father of lies!

Here is how the Lord revealed the truth to me: As I read
Mark 10:20, “And he answered and said unto him, Master, all
these have I observed FROM MY YOUTH,” the Lord spoke to me
and said, “See, this is why he was rich.” Then He pointed me to
Deuteronomy 8:18 about the Lord giving power to get wealth
in order to establish His covenant. This young man was evidently
walking in this part of the covenant. The Lord said, “Do
you think I would ask something from him that I hadn’t given
him in the first place?” You must realize these two facts: (1)
God is the only reason you have anything, and (2) He will
never ask you to give up something without giving you something
better in return.

Verse 21 says, “Then Jesus beholding him loved him.” Now
some people think that God doesn’t like people with money,
but this says that when Jesus looked at the young man, He
loved him…before He said anything about giving away his possessions.
You see, He loved him and what He said was to the
man’s advantage.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland

Psalm 91:9-10, 14-16

KJV—Because thou hast made the Lord,
which is my refuge, even the most High, thy
habitation; there shall no evil befall thee,
neither shall any plague come nigh thy
dwelling…Because he hath set his love upon
me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him
on high, because he hath known my name.
He shall call upon me, and I will answer him:
I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver
him, and honour him. With long life will I
satisfy him, and show him my salvation.

Amp—Because you have made the Lord
your refuge, and the Most High your dwelling
place, There shall no evil befall you, nor
any plague or calamity come near your
tent…Because he has set his love upon Me,
therefore will I deliver him; I will set him on
high, because he knows and understands
My name [has a personal knowledge of My
mercy, love and kindness; trusts and relies
on Me, knowing I will never forsake him, no,
never]. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer
him; I will be with him in trouble, I will
deliver him and honor him. With long life will
I satisfy him, and show him My salvation.

Psalm 103:1-5

KJV—Bless the Lord, O my soul: and all that
is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the
Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits:
Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who
healeth all thy diseases; Who redeemeth
thy life from destruction; who crowneth
thee with loving kindness and tender
mercies; Who satisfieth thy mouth with good
things; so that thy youth is renewed
like the eagle’s.

Amp—Bless—affectionately, gratefully
praise—the Lord, O my soul, and all that is
[deepest] within me, bless His holy name!
Bless—affectionately, gratefully praise—the
Lord, O my soul, and forget not [one of] all
His benefits, Who forgives [every one of] all
your iniquities, Who heals [each of] all your
diseases; Who redeems your life from the pit
and corruption; Who beautifies, dignifies and
crowns you with loving-kindness and tender
mercies; Who satisfies your mouth [your necessity
and desire at your personal age] with
good; so that your youth, renewed,
is like the eagle’s [strong, overcoming, soaring]!

Psalm 107:19-21

KJV—Then they cry unto the Lord in their
trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses.
He sent his word, and healed them,
and delivered them from their destructions.
Oh that men would praise the Lord for his
goodness, and for his wonderful works to
the children of men!

Amp—Then they cry to the Lord in their
trouble, and He delivers them out of their
distresses. He sends forth His word and
heals them and rescues them from the pit
and destruction. Oh, that men would praise
[and confess to] the Lord His goodness and
loving-kindness, and His wonderful works to
the children of men!

Psalm 118:17

KJV—I shall not die, but live, and declare
the works of the Lord.

Amp—I shall not die, but live, and declare
the works and recount the illustrious acts of
the Lord.

Moffatt—I shall not die, but live to proclaim
the Eternal’s deeds.

NEB—I shall not die but live to proclaim
the works of the Lord.

Kenneth and Gloria Copeland